Tiritiri Matangi: A Model of Conservation

Tiritiri Matangi Island, in the Hauraki Gulf, is a conservation success story of international significance. Thousands of trees, planted by volunteers, and the release of rare and endangered birds have made it a world-famous open sanctuary, which attracts over 35,000 visitors per year. Its conservation success has inspired the dozens of island and mainland sanctuaries that have sprung up right across New Zealand since. Its bird population is now breeding so successfully that each year many are selected to supply other sanctuaries where previously extinct species have been reestablished, including Great Barrier island and the Ark in the Park in the Waitakere Ranges. This inspirational book describes the island's history, its Maori occupation, the farming period, wartime activities, the historic lighthouse (which has shone since 1865) as well as the subsequent conservation project. The book also contains data on the island's flora and fauna, with sections on each endangered bird. Its lavish illustrations include rare historical photographs and magical bird studies. Shortly after this book was first published, it won the Environment Category prize in the 2005 Montana Book Awards. This revised edition brings the book completely up to date and makes it more relevant than ever.

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Author description

Anne Rimmer is a member of the Supporters of Tiritiri Matangi Inc. and has been a guide on Tiri since 2000. She is a scientist who, as a member of Forest and Bird, instigated the Millennium Forest project at the Tuff Crater. She lives on the North Shore of Auckland, where she has campaigned for cleaner beaches.